ROPE KNOW-HOW

Enlarge Image Image Gallery TOP PHOTO: Seven 3/8"" candidates, from left to right: three-strand nylon, braided nylon, three-strand polypropylene manila imitation, three-strand polypropylene, three-strand manila, three-strand sisal, and three-strand cotton. SECOND ROW LEFT: A short splice is wellsuited to the permanent joining of two natural fiber ropes that won't have to pass through a pulley. BOTTOM, LEFT: Sailors whipping follows the strand pattern of the rope. It's a good way to protect natural fiber ends. CENTER: A back splice will permanently protect the end of a natural rope but can be used only if you won't need to slip the line through a small restriction such as a pulley or eye, since the splice increases the end's diameter significantly. BOTTOM RIGHT: The ends of synthetic ropes can be melted to prevent unraveling. SECOND ROW RIGHT: Common whipping holds together the end of a length of cotton rope.

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You can save money and handle homestead towing and tying tasks more safely with . . .

Over the last 20 years, the once simple act of picking out and using a length of rope has become pretty complicated: A profusion of new synthetic lines has joined the natural varieties on hardware store shelves . . . forcing baffled buyers to choose among well over a dozen combinations of fiber and twisting style.

Of course, each of the numerous ropes that are available is better suited for some tasks than it is for others, and the material that the cord is made of will likely require specific care. So we decided that it might be helpful to describe several of the more common ropes . . . and tell you what they're good for, as well as what steps should be taken to get the maximum life from each type.

TWISTING THE RIGHT-AWAY

In its most simple form, rope consists of long fibers that are first twisted (usually in a clockwise fashion) to form yarns. Then a number of the wound strings are spun together, in the opposite direction, to yield strands . . . which are in turn twisted back in a right-hand direction (in groups of three) to make "hawser-laid" rope.

The combination of these counterdirectional twists gives the finished cord more strength than that of the individual fibers composing it, since the friction between the fibers, yarns, and strands increases the line's resistance to stretch. Furthermore, the winding process prevents the material from unraveling. (In fact, if you take a good piece of three-strand rope and attempt to untwist it in the middle, you'll notice that, after about one quarter-turn, it vigorously resists unwinding.)

There are, however, a number of other ways to "lay-up" a rope. Although they are somewhat rare, it's possible to locate left-handlaid three-strand ropes, and even four-strand ropes. But braiding is by far the most common of the alternative twist techniques. It's accomplished by weaving Height (or more) strands together in a "di amond" pattern . . . and produces a rope that's very flexible, doesn't tend to curl, and stretches even less than does a twisted rope made of the same material and of equal diameter. (Not surprisingly, braided—sometimes called plaited—line's superior qualities result in its having the highest average price tag of all ropes.)

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